1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to brake fans and covers. More specifically, the invention is an anti-dust and cooling cover adapted for being positionable between a wheel and a brake assembly of a vehicle and being in rotation with the wheel and the brake assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people would like to own a cover or device for extending the effective life period of brakes or brake systems, and/or for preventing the accumulation of debris and fluids on wheels and/or brake systems. However, most covers or devices do not effectively accomplish either or both of these tasks. An anti-dust and cooling cover which effectively extends the effective life period of brakes or brake systems would therefore be desirable. An anti-dust and cooling cover which effectively prevents the accumulation of debris and fluids on wheels and/or brake systems would also be desirable. An anti-dust and cooling cover which is inexpensive would further be desirable. The present invention achieves these goals through a circular plate and a cylindrical wall that projects perpendicularly from the plate and that includes a plurality of louvers.
Various forms of covers and devices for preventing accumulation of debris, fluids, etc. in wheels and brakes systems and/or for cooling the systems are known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,310 issued on Jun. 1, 1982 to Iwai et al. discloses a device for preventing intrusion of water, dust, etc. into a drum brake of an automobile vehicle wherein a labyrinth is formed at a fitting portion between the outer peripheral surface of a brake panel fixed to the vehicular body and the outer peripheral surface of a brake drum rotatable together with wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,667 issued on Nov. 27, 1984 and European Patent No. 204,433, published Dec. 10, 1986, to Bottieri, Jr. disclose a shield plate adapted for being clamped between a wheel and a disc brake assembly. The shield plate has a circular peripheral edge which slidably engages the inside of the wheel at its tire-supporting rim and circumferentially spaced slits extending inward from this edge to provide flexible and resilient fingers in succession along the periphery. U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,809 issued on Nov. 5, 1985 and Great Britain Patent No. 2,072,280 A, published on Sep. 30, 1981, to Kawaguchi disclose a disc brake system for a motorcycle having a wheel hub that includes a brake disc fixed on one side of the hub to rotate with the hub.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,090 issued on Aug. 24, 1993 to Weiler discloses a disc brake housing with continuous outside circumferential edge and cooling ribs. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,293,967 issued on Mar. 15, 1994 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,160 issued on Dec. 12, 1995 to Siegrist disclose a shielded vehicle brake in combination with a hub that includes fan blades intermediate the securing surface and the align ports, and with a fanned hub support arrangement, respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,073 issued on Oct. 1, 1996 to Ragas discloses a brake dust removal apparatus that includes 2 housings hinged together that may be closed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,827 issued on Sep. 30, 1997 to Demetriou et al. discloses a disc brake apparatus comprising an annular brake disc constructed of friction plates spaced by a plurality of vanes extending radially along an inner face of the friction plates. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,286 issued on Jun. 30, 1998 to Jordan discloses a wheel dust filter.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an anti-dust and cooling cover adapted for being positionable between a wheel and a brake assembly of a vehicle solving the aforementioned problems is desired.